Video tape cassettes such as for VHS and Beta format recorded video programs, are generally made with a spring that presses the two coplanar reels of the cassette toward the base portion of the housing. Thus, the reels are less apt to float and the tape on the reels runs smoothly in a playback apparatus. The spring is punched from sheet spring material (e.g., stainless steel), and bent or curved to provide pressure to the reels when the spring is loaded in a flat position. The springs in the prior art commonly have two arms that extend to the two reels in the cassette. The spring is attached to either the base portion or the cover portion of the tape cassette housing. The sizes and shapes of the springs may vary slightly depending on the cassette size, the reel size, and spacing of the two coplanar reels, and the like.
Tape tension in data tape cartridges require different considerations than in video cassettes. Data cartridges generally have 5 rotating elements, including two corner rollers, two tape hubs, and a drive roller. Thus, for unitary construction and low part count, a spring with 5 arms is desirable to accomodate the data cartridge construction. Unlike video cassettes which generally play in one direction for an extended period of time (e.g., play, fast-forward, or rewind), the tape in a data cartridge rapidly changes direction as it is moved to the required data locations on the tape. Normal speeds and the rapid change in tape direction necessitate a controlled drag on the corner rollers to keep the magnetic tape taut against the read/write head, and on the tape hubs to keep them fixed axially so that changing direction does not involve the takeup of slack which could affect the recording and retrieval of data from the tape within the cartridge.